Latex paints are a mixture of several ingredients. Typically used in latex paints are water, a polymeric binder, coalescing aids, thickening aids, dispersants, foam control agents, biocides, and pigments.
The foam control agent is essential to the latex paint formulation. Without the foam control agent, bubbles will form in the latex paint and the coated substrate when the paint is applied to it. After the latex paint with the bubbles dries on the substrate, dried bubbles will appear on the substrate. These dried bubbles are not aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, a substrate with dried bubbles is not effectively covered and protected from the environment.
Typically used in foam control agents for latex paints are a carrier, a hydrophobic material, and/or silicone. Typically used as the carrier in foam control agents are mineral oils and other volatile organic compounds (VOC).
Since the Clean Air Act was passed in 1977 there has been an interest in developing paints with lower levels of VOC. Although the act does not forbid the use of VOCs in architectural paints, it does limit the level of VOCs and there is still an interest in reducing the level of VOCs in paint.